november ministries november highlights leidy's church ...usher captains: peter martindell, ken...

November Ministries

Tape Ministry:

3rd Sandy Cressman

10th Esther Davis

17th Sandy Derr

24th Vicki Freed

Lay Visitor:

3rd Lani Kimenhour

10th Mark & Sharon Kostishion

17th Patricia Martindell

24th Norm & Donna Weiss

Greeters:

3rd Stan & Joan Radcliff

10th Steve Radcliff

17th Rock & Astrid Rau

24th Dave & Lorraine Reich

Usher Captains: Peter Martindell, Ken Merritt

Ushers: Ted Brunner, Doug Elliott, Dana Gehman, Roger Jones, Tony Kapusta, Joe Sciacca,

Kendall Mussellman, Lorne Slack, Skip Smith.

The Emergency Committee for November is Brian Shoemaker.

November 2019 Leidy’s Church Newsletter 16

Newsletter

(Continued on page 2)

Leidy's Church

November 2019

November Highlights Pastor's Column 1 Pulpit Schedule 3 Thanksgiving Eve Service 4 Pastor to Youth & Children 5 Advent Workshop 6 Craft Show 6 Women's Ministry 7 Inquirer Class 8 iBlast 9 Election 10 Consistory 14 . . .and much more!

The Newsletter is published monthly by

Immanuel Leidy's Church

273 W. Cherry Lane Souderton, PA 18964

215-723-8707 www.leidyschurch.org

Pastor’s Column

Do you have any idea why the United States celebrates Veterans

Day on November 11th each year? Have you noticed that it isn’t like other

Federal holidays that are observed on the Monday closest to them? Nope,

it’s always on the 11th of November – unless that date is a Saturday or

Sunday. If it’s a Saturday, then it’s observed on Friday, while if it’s on

Sunday, it’s observed on Monday.

To answer my own question: No. Until this past month I had no

idea why Veterans Day was observed on November 11th. My education was

incomplete. Or, perhaps I snoozed during the part where Veterans Day was

explained. But now I know the reason why it’s the 11th of November.

It was the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour of the day

when the armistice was signed to end World War One in the year 1918.

World War One was started on June 28, 1914 by the assassination of the

Austria-Hungary crown prince Franz Ferdinand. This was done by a

Bosnian terrorist who was mixed up with a Serbian nationalist

organization. One wonders how in the world that resulted in England and

France and Germany and Russia and Italy and Turkey and Austria-Hungary

in deadly combat with one another. Eventually, though not until 1917, the

United States became involved as well.

The dead – not the total casualties, but only the dead – from each

of those countries was as follows: British Commonwealth: 1,000,000;

France: 1,400,000; Russia: 1,700,000. Austria-Hungary: 1,200,000;

Turkey: 325,000; Italy: 460,000; Germany: 1,800,000; and the US:

117,000. That’s astounding! I had no idea. And all because a terrorist shot a

crown prince? Talk about a shot heard ’round the world!

How could that be? Here’s how historian Wilfred McClay in Land

of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story explains it:

This act of terrorism, though certainly serious and shocking,

would seem at first glance to have had only minor regional significance.

But it turned out to be the catalyst that set into motion all the treaty

obligations that had tightly bound together all of the major nations of

Europe. Within a few weeks, nearly all of them were at war. [p.260]

McClay makes a point of stating the treaty obligations were not

always out in the open. Some were made in secret; others, though made

openly, had secret clauses. Consequently, no one could see that pushing


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button A would eventually result in button M attacking button D. Such was the case up and down the

alphabet, as it were. Those secret alliances proved to be devastating, disillusioning, and deadly.

Estimates of the total number of casualties, including civilians, in the ensuing four years of fighting

is right at 40,000,000.

Our individual human souls are like those nations of Europe in pre-WW1 mode. Each one

has a vast interconnected set of alliances, beliefs, behavior-inclinations, presumptions, memories,

biases, and commitments many of which are often unknown to us. Then something happens and we

respond involuntarily as dictated by those “alliances.”

I particularly want us to think about this in terms of the Lord Jesus. What do you think about

Him? What was He like? What would He do or not do? What could He do or not do? Could He say

or do something that would put your soul “at war” with Him? If He could do so, would He do so?

Let me give you a couple of examples.

Once I was talking to a young woman about Jesus. For some reason I mentioned His healing

of the blind man as recorded in John 9. I read this text to her: When He had said this, He spat on the

ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes. The young lady was appalled.

How could Jesus do something so gross? She found it distasteful. Secret alliances in her soul about

who Jesus is and what He would and would not do, were challenged by this one verse. Could she still

believe in and follow a man who behaved so disgustingly?

Once I met with a fellow for several months to study the book of Mark. It was really a very

good study. Then one day he asked me: Are we supposed to believe Jesus really rose from the dead?

The fellow had hidden alliances in his soul that dictated that no one can rise from the dead. Could he

believe Jesus really did rise from the dead?

In the first church I pastored there was a man whose father had been a mean alcoholic. As a

consequence, this man wanted nothing to do with any kind of alcoholic beverage. At one Bible study

we considered the passage from John 2 where Jesus turned the water into wine. He had questions

about that. Was it alcoholic wine or just grape juice? I assured him it was alcoholic wine – otherwise

the headwaiter would not have made the comment he did. This was very troubling to my friend. He

had alliances in his soul that questioned whether he could or should trust someone who made

alcoholic wine for people to drink?

Such secret alliances will bring us to war with Jesus, with God, with the Bible. Anything

could set us off on a track that ends in devastation, disillusionment, and spiritual death. The young

woman was able to get past Jesus spitting on the ground and rejoice in His being her Savior. My

friend kept believing in Jesus even though Jesus made all that wine. The fellow who had trouble with

Jesus’ resurrection found it to be a bridge too far. He turned and walked away. He left Jesus and the

Bible and Christianity behind.

Each of us will have to fight WW1 battles in our soul. Not just once. They keep coming up as the

Holy Spirit reveals secret alliances in our souls. That’s why our foundational alliance must be with the Lord

Jesus Christ. We should aspire to say what Paul said in Philippians 3: . . . whatever things were gain to me,

those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ . . . I count all things to be loss in view of the

surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . that I may know Him and the power of His

resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.


Second Helvetic Confession What does “Helvetic” mean? It is Latin for Switzerland. Henry Bullinger, the author of this confession, was the successor to Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, Switzerland. Why “Second”? Because a previous confession was written in 1536. This one was presented in 1564. We’re right in the middle of the crucial, but difficult, issue of how Jesus could be truly God and truly human. And then it declares Christ’s final coming and the judgment.

Chapter 11: Of Jesus Christ, True God and Man, the Only Savior of the World Interchange of Properties. We piously and reverently accept and use the interchange of properties, which is derived from Scripture and which has been used by all antiquity in explaining and reconciling apparently contradictory passages. 11) Christ is Truly Risen from the Dead. We believe and teach that the same Jesus Christ our Lord, in his true flesh in which he was crucified and died, rose again from the dead, and that not another flesh was raised other than the one buried, or that a spirit was taken up instead of the flesh, but that he retained his true body. Therefore, while his disciples thought they saw the spirit of the Lord, he showed them his hands and feet, which were marked by the prints of the nails and wounds, and added: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have. 12) Christ is Truly Ascended into Heaven. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, in his same flesh, ascended above all visible heavens into the highest heaven, that is, the dwelling place of God and the blessed ones, at the right hand of God the Father. Although it signifies an equal participation in glory and majesty, it is also taken to be a certain place about which the Lord, speaking in the Gospel, says: “I go to prepare a place for you.” The apostle Peter also says: “Heaven must receive Christ until the time of restoring all things.” 13) And from heaven the same Christ will return in judgment, when wickedness will then be at its greatest in the world and when the Antichrist, having corrupted true religion, will fill up all things with superstition and impiety and will cruelly lay waste the church with bloodshed and flames. But Christ will come again to claim his own, and by his coming to destroy the Antichrist, and to judge the living and the dead. For the dead will rise again, and those who on that day (which is unknown to all creatures) will be alive will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye,” and all the faithful will be caught up to meet Christ in the air, so that then they may enter with him into the blessed dwelling-places to live forever. But the unbelievers and ungodly will descend with the devils into hell to burn forever and never be redeemed from torments. 14) The Sects. We therefore condemn all who deny a real resurrection of the flesh, or who with John of Jerusalem, against whom Jerome wrote, do not have a correct view of the glorification of bodies. We also condemn those who thought that the devil and all the ungodly would at some time be saved, and that there would be an end to punishments. For the Lord has plainly declared: “Their fire is not quenched, and their worm does not die.” We further condemn Jewish dreams that there will be a golden age on earth before the day of judgment, and that the pious having subdued all their godless enemies, will possess all the kingdoms of the earth. For evangelical truth in Matthew, chapters 24 and 25, and Luke 18, and apostolic teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2, and 2 Timothy, chapters 3 and 4, present something quite different.


Consistory Notes On the beautiful fall evening of October 9th, the Consistory of Leidy’s Church conducted its monthly meeting. Here are some points of possible interest: ❖ Deacon Nathan Kulp took the time to prepare devotional thoughts on the topic of: Time! He noted our ordinary sense of scarcity of time and opined that such scarcity may be due to our trying to take on too many tasks. Consequently, we are prone to lose focus in our lives. Among other texts, he read and referenced Eph. 5:1-21; 2 Pet. 3:8,9; Ps. 31:5; and 1 John 2:17 and reminded the men that creation happened at a point in time, that we live in time, but that eternity is fast approaching for each of us. Therefore, don’t waste time, but be certain we are seeking God’s will for our lives. ❖ The final accounting of our Building Project with Franconia Township is done. They sent to us a last check for $5,538.14 from monies they were holding for us. This clears and closes all our accounts with them for the Building Project. Hallelujah! Thank You, Lord! ❖ A warm welcome was extended to Consistorymen-elect Kendall Musselman and Shaun Permar. Their official duties begin January 1, 2020. ❖ Continued the ongoing discussion relating to two facets of the Building Project that are not fully resolved: 1) Steeple leakage during hard, slanting, wind-driven rainstorms, and 2) water wicking along some basement and gym walls. Both need to be addressed and brought to proper remediation and closure. ❖ Discussed the emergency evacuation drill scheduled for Oct. 20th toward the end of the service of worship. The training done earlier in the week was quite helpful. This drill is designed only for the sanctuary level portion of the building; it will not include the Christian Education or gymnasium levels. [The Lord decided not to do the sanctuary level either as it was raining on the 20th and the drill deferred until warmer, clearer weather.] ❖ Received further information about hosting the A Night to Shine event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. It happens on the same Friday in February at churches across the country and around the world. It is a Prom Night for special needs individuals who are 14 years of age or older. It will require significant volunteer help and some financial undergirding. The event expectations and requirements were reviewed in some detail. On a motion by Ron Moyer, seconded by Jim Kinney, it was agreed to take on the hosting of this event. ❖ It was noted the HUB lease with the Household of Faith & Deliverance Worship Center of Souderton was renewed as of Oct. 1. There are multiple ministry sub-tenants, though it would be good to have a couple more as well. ❖ Received a report on Judgement House that preparations are well in-hand, though there still are plenty of heart-palpitating possibilities looming. ❖ Ken Merritt mentioned the need for specifically designated Visitor Parking slots. Everyone concurred and 4-6 such slots will be forthcoming. ❖ It was noted with gratitude that current Mission House resident Steve Marks has torn out old shrubs and put in new ones for the front of the House! Looks great. Other committee reports and miscellaneous items were received and the meeting adjourned at 9:36 following a time of directed intercessory prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.


November Pulpit Schedule 3rd – Tolerance Reconsidered – 1 Kings 16 and 2 Kings 9 s.v.; 1 Tim. 1:8-17;

Rev. 2:18-29

We live in an age marked by tolerance. Tolerance is considered an

essential character trait. But in Jesus’ letter to the church in Thyatira that is the

very attribute for which He rebukes them. He didn’t rebuke for the attribute of

tolerance itself, but for their continuing with it when they knew it was permitting a

malignant sore from being treated. Jesus says He will treat the malignancy – and it

won’t be pretty. God is merciful. He calls for people to repent. He exercises great tolerance, but there

comes a point in time when tolerance must be reconsidered. An insight for our age.

10th – Be on the Alert – 1 Samuel 15:10-23; Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 3:1-6

There is no deception worse than self-deception. In our day virtue signaling is all the rage.

Individuals do it. Companies do it. Communities do it. Sports teams do it. What is the goal of all the

virtue signaling? To be seen as virtuous, of course! But what if that label “Virtuous” proves not to be

accurate. Everyone may think it is accurate, but perhaps it isn’t. Then what? We’ll see some

examples of “then what” in our texts. Samuel brings a wake-up call to King Saul, while Jesus tells a

parable about virgins who need to wake up. The church in Sardis needs to be on the alert.

17th – Keepers of the Key – Deuteronomy 4:1-8; Matthew 16:13-23; Revelation 3:7-13

What is the key to all of existence? The knowledge of God. Without such knowledge one

can only live in darkness. The knowledge of God is the light of life. In His letter to the church in

Philadelphia, Jesus has nothing critical to say about that congregation. He does give an accurate

analysis of their situation, namely, that they are surrounded by darkness and much opposition. But

they have held firm, the have kept the key. In Matthew’s gospel we hear Jesus saying He’s giving

keys to His disciples. They must keep them; they must use them. We are keepers of the key.

24th – Let’s Get Radical – Proverbs 3:5-15; Matthew 19:16-30; Revelation 3:14-22

Jesus makes outrageous statements. He had the audacity to say that it is easier for a camel to

go through the eye of needle than for a rich fellow to get into the kingdom of God! Given that we

live in the most affluent society in the history of the world, we might want to take notice! Of the

seven churches to whom Jesus sends letters, none is rebuked as severely as the church in Laodicea.

Will they be able to “hear” what Jesus speaks? Well, maybe we need to ask that question more of

ourselves than of the Laodiceans. Jesus has a radical call and He has a radical promise.

27th – Eucatastrophe! – Exodus 14:10-18; 15;1-3; 2 Corinthians 8:9; James 1:2-4

What in the world is a eucatastrophe, you might ask. And the answer is: a eucatastrophe is a

good catastrophe. The famous landscape painter Bob Ross knew about eucatastrophes. He called

them happy accidents. Tonight is Thanksgiving Eve. We’re looking forward to joyful celebrations

tomorrow with an abundance of food, plenty of noise, and happy conversations. It is a right and good

thing to do so! God enjoins His people to do so. Tonight, we’ll consider several biblical

eucatastrophes and see how God blesses us through the experience of eucatastrophes.


Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Have you had catastrophes in your life? Are you thankful for them? If you are, to whom are you thankful? For what are you thankful? Our Thanksgiving Eve service of

worship is for those folk who have good reason to give thanks, know such to be the case, and are intent on doing so in a corporate service of worship. Why? Because they know about and have experienced the power of God to transform catastrophes into eucatastrophies. If you are among those folk, then you are invited to come to Leidy’s Church on Thanksgiving Eve to join in giving thanks to God. Or, if you’re not certain what a eucatastrophe might be, then come out and find out! The service of worship begins at 7:30 pm. At that service of worship, traditional songs appropriate to

Thanksgiving Day will be sung, some stirring testimonies will be shared, prayers of gratitude and intercession will be lifted to Almighty God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ will be proclaimed and heard. Ordinarily this is one of the more informal services we have during the course of a year, but it is a good and solemn and joyful service nonetheless. The intent is to have folk on their respective ways by 8:30 so that everyone has plenty of time to go home and get ready for the big events scheduled for the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day. As the article title states it, Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.

Doubling Your Dollars It’s November, so it must be time to find out what our Doubling

Your Dollars challenge goal is this year. Right? Wrong!

There is no Doubling Your Dollars challenge this year. We paid

off our mortgage [Praise God!!!] earlier this year, so there’s no mortgage looming over our

heads.

Beginning in 1991 and continuing through 2018, Leidy’s Church was always blessed

by far-sighted individuals who helped us give more than we thought we could or would!

Thanks be to God for 27 years of experiencing His abundant grace moving through

our hearts and checkbooks! (Maybe we should have a service of Thanksgiving. See the article

just above this one!)



Operation Christmas Child For some years, Ken and Velva Stevenson headed up the Leidy’s Church participation in Operation Christmas Child. Ken died earlier this fall and Velva has some physical challenges herself at the moment. She put out a call for help doing the project this year, and her call was answered. Meghann Permar and Ethel Greenawalt, along with Gary Filson supplying some muscle, have stepped up to oversee this worthy project this year. Thanks to their labor, you’ll find Operation Christmas Child boxes in abundance in the narthex. A display table explains the project in some detail and provides helpful information. Check it out. When you take a box, check inside and you’ll find a listing of gift suggestions as well as items you should not include in your box. Each box contains a label enabling you to indicate if your box is for a boy or a girl. That same label allows you to designate the age range for which the contents are intended, from 2 to 4 years old, 5 to 9 years old, or 10 to 14 years old. The shoeboxes represent more than encouragement and good wishes. They become gospel opportunities that open doors to share the love of Jesus Christ. Though we don’t know exactly where our shoeboxes will go, we do know Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes will be shared with children and their families all around the globe and may be the only Christmas gift they receive. We can be sure some boxes will find their way to Colombia and be given to children of Venezuelan refugees. All shoeboxes need to be returned no later than November 16th so don’t delay. And

thank you for sharing Christ’s love by providing a shoebox.

Join the Bunch for Lunch This is just a reminder that on Tuesday the 12th of November the Leidy’s Lunch Bunch will be getting together to – guess what? – share lunch with a bunch of friends! Starting time is 11:30. The luncheon is open to everyone who is 65+ years of age – or, the guests of folk who meet that age criterion. Yes, you’re welcome to invite friends who meet the age requirement but may not be members of Leidy’s Church. The more the merrier! You do need to register for this event. There’s a registration sheet on the narthex wall or you may call the church office to make your reservation. Just make certain the correct number attending is given. We need to know how much grub to grab! Registrations should be made by November 3rd. There will be a hymn-sing as part of the activity with Nelda Metzler guiding the voices up and down and around the musical scale. Also, a free-will offering will be received. Assuming we get more given than it costs to make the meal, the extra funding will go to the Keystone Opportunity Food Bank. We look forward to seeing you there.


From the Pastor to Youth & Children Did you know that it takes a team of twelve bees working their entire lifetime to produce

one teaspoon of honey? The big jar of honey at the supermarket might require as many as 120,000

bees. Not only is that a lot of buzzing, but it is a lot of flowers and time required to deliver honey to

your table. Honey has been around for thousands of years. It was mentioned throughout the Old

Testament as a delightful and desirable substance. In fact, part of the promise of the Promised Land

was an abundance of milk and honey.

The prophet Ezekiel found honey in an unusual place. At his commissioning he was told to

take a scroll and eat it. To be clear, this was not just any scroll. This was the scroll of the Lord’s

word. This was the manner in which the Lord gave His prophetic word to Ezekiel. When Ezekiel tasted the scroll, he found that it was sweet as honey [Ezek. 3:3] in his mouth. When Ezekiel

experienced the Word of God, his senses were enlivened, his mind was engaged, and he was

enabled to carry out his ministry.

If the Word of God was sweet as honey in Ezekiel’s mouth, what should it be for us? To be

clear, eating your copy of the Bible will just taste like wood pulp and ink. It will not be pleasant and

will not give you any benefit. However, when we imbibe the scriptures by the regular hearing and

reading of the scriptures, they should have the same effect upon us. Jeremiah said, Your words were found and I ate them and they became for me a joy and the

delight of my heart. [Jer. 15:16] When God’s people engage the Word of God, they begin to

understand who God is, how God has redeemed His people, and how God continues to provide for

His people in the midst of a broken world. Because of this, Christians who spend time reflecting on

the Word of God are motivated to worship God and follow Him wherever He leads.

What has been your experience with the Word of God? Has it been like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, a delight as sweet as honey; or, has it been like orange juice right after brushing your teeth,

that is, full of bitterness and misery? I challenge you to read your Bible slowly and carefully. More

than likely, by the Holy Spirit working within you, you will see and understand new ideas about the

Lord that you have never seen in God’s Word of before. My expectation is that you will find the

word of God to be sweet just like honey.

If you are struggling to get started with daily reading in the Bible, consider a reading plan.

Each January Leidy’s Church has reading plan bookmarks available that can help you keep track of

what you should be reading each day. Plans like this are a huge help to focus our efforts of tasting

God’s Word. Do not feel like you must wait until January. Consider the habit of reading a chapter

from Proverbs each day. If you know what day of the month it is, you know what chapter in

Proverbs you should be reading. As Christmas approaches, consider reading a chapter of Luke each

day of December. You will finish on Christmas Eve and be engaged to worship the King of kings

and Lord of lords. If you have another reading plan that might help others, let me know and I will be

happy to pass it along. To the praise of His glory, Michael


Advent Workshop On Sunday, December 1st, all members and friends of Leidy’s Church are invited to the annual Advent workshop sponsored by Ladies of Leidy’s. This is a family-friendly event, with different crafts being offered for all age and skill levels. While most of the participants are children, a good number of adults find this a worthwhile activity as well. All the craft-making makes one hungry, so the event concludes with a shared meal of pizza and beverages and dessert! Well, we’ll have desserts if each family that attends brings a dessert to share. Usually, it is a bountiful dessert night. Sometime in November a display table will be outside the Fellowship Hall with sample crafts and sign-up sheets. We ask that parents be sure the craft their child(ren) sign up to

make is suitable for their age bracket. If you are not “crafty” but you like to eat and talk with others, feel welcome to sign up for the meal only option. Helpers are always needed to assist the children with their projects, so come lend a hand.

Craft & Gift Show Leidy’s Church is offering an opportunity to do your Christmas shopping via networking rather than surfing the net! Yes, come to the Craft and Gift Show and cash in on the network of crafters in our congregation and beyond who will have a fascinating array of items from which to select. This event takes place on Saturday, November 23rd from 9am to 2pm. Take some time to explore all the unique gifts on display and on sale. You should be able to find just that right gift or craft or objet d’art for those on your gift list. Lunch and edibles will be available if you need to take time to sit down and think things over before making your selection. Or, sit down and do some networking with friends over a bowl of soup or some tasty cookies and coffee. This event is sponsored by the Ladies of Leidy’s and carries their esteemed seal of approval! They appreciate your support very much.

Looking Ahead

Everyone Loves a Parade! Souderton Borough’s annual Christmas Parade steps off at 11am on Saturday, December 7th. It’s a big event in a small town and it’s enjoyed by all. Thanks to the Care Committee, Leidy’s Church will have a float in the 2019 Souderton Christmas Parade. And you’re invited to be a part of it. How can that happen? In these ways: ▪ Help come up with a theme ▪ Help designing the float ▪ Help with construction of the float ▪ Be available to ride on the float – in costume if necessary ▪ Be available to walk alongside the float & toss goodies to folk lining the streets ▪ Letting the light of the love of Jesus shine through you If you would like to join the parade, please let Ken Merritt know or give your name to the church office and someone from the Care Committee will be in touch with you. God bless us, everyone!


(Continued from page 2)

The Bible has a penetrating and exhilarating exhortation to us about this type of warfare: . . . do

not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove

what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. [Rom. 12:2] The transformation

spoken of is the ongoing dying of the old, carnal man and the ongoing renewal of the new man.

Veterans Day is a sobering holiday when we know what lies behind it. Likewise, when we

understand what God is doing in our souls we must purpose to direct our hearts into the love of

God and into the steadfastness of Christ! [2 Thess. 3:5]

May the Holy Spirit continue to reveal – and enable us to nullify – the secret alliances in our

souls that would hold us back from following Christ. That is cause for Thanksgiving!

In the Joy of the Lord,

John H.C. Niederhaus

Dollar a Day Coming Our Way As part of our Let Your Light Shine initiative, the Mission Committee is sponsoring a Dollar

a Day program to reach the Erukulu and Mucherukala unreached people group in India. This will be

done in conjunction with Glad Tidings India, whose very fruitful ministry in India we have supported

for over two decades.

Here’s how it will work. The last two Sundays of November will be the time to register to be

part of the Dollar a Day outreach. Each person who becomes part of this project will receive a silk

purse made by a day laborer in India. Each day you put a dollar into the purse. As you put in the

dollar you also pray for those taking the gospel to this group. You will also pray for those who are

part of the unreached people group.

On the last Sunday of each month bring the dollars collected via a special Dollar a Day

envelope and put it in the offering. All those funds will be dedicated exclusively for letting the light

of the gospel shine into the hills and the valleys, the villages and the huts, the hearts and the minds,

of the Erukulu and Mucherukala people.

Each month new information and insights about this people group will be shared. We’ll learn

about their land, their habits, their problems, their affinities, their needs.

A Dollar a Day is coming our way, so be prepared to sign up and Let Your Light Shine.


Let Your Light Shine Leidy’s Church is launching a year-long emphasis called Let Your

Light Shine. It will begin the first Sunday of Advent in 2019 and continue to

the first Sunday of Advent 2020. The goal will be to reach out to the

unreached. What we reach out with, of course, is the Light of the Gospel via

word and deed. Our key verse is Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before

men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your

Father who is in heaven.

This initiative is meant to be applied individually, as couples, as

families, as part of a committee, as part of a small group, as part of a ministry

arm, and as an entire congregation; that is to say, we desire that every person

should be engaged in multiple ways in intentional outreach.

The focus of the outreach will be our personal spheres of influence via work, neighborhood,

and community. As a congregation we want to reach out locally and globally and various places

between those extremes. Some venues for outreach are in place; other venues will be developed as

we go along. Our desire is that ideas and projects and ministry venues will arise from within the

congregation. But the goal will always be to Let Your Light Shine.

Here are some examples of some of what is planned:

• Reach out to your neighbor will provide materials to include with a plate of Christmas

cookies, or with a Christmas flower, or with . . . whatever you’d like to give your neighbor.

• Reach out to the community via the Night to Shine program sponsored by the Tim Tebow

Foundation. On Friday evening, February 7th Leidy’s Church will host this event for special needs

folk to have a Night to Shine via prom-like event. Lots of volunteers will be needed.

• Reach out to the world via a Dollar a Day program to underwrite taking the gospel to an

unreached people group in India.

Here’s how each of us can be involved immediately: pray for the Holy Spirit to shine into

our hearts and minds revealing specific ways we can Let Our Light Shine.

Time to Head to the Polls It’s November and that means time for elections and voting. Tuesday, November 5th is the day when the polls will be open. Leidy’s Church is a polling place for two precincts. That means the Fellowship Hall and the Kitchen areas are reserved for election preparations, actual voting, and the wrap-up details from late afternoon on Monday the 4th through about 9:30 pm on Tuesday the 5th. If you are present at church during the voting hours on Tuesday, please park farther away in our parking lot so those who come by to vote have access to the closest and most convenient parking slots. Oh yes, make certain you go out and vote – enjoy a lesser election this year because the one in 2020 promises to be a doozy!


Women's Ministry Women’s Ministry Overview

While it may have appeared that Women’s Ministry at Leidy’s Church was no longer active, opportunities for fellowship, serving, and learning have always been in place.

The Thursday morning Precept Bible Study class meets from 9 to 11:30 in Room 118 from September through May. They are currently studying the book of 2 Corinthians. This class is taught by Marci Stunkard, who is a seasoned Precept class teacher. If you have questions about how to study the Bible inductively, please speak with Verna Bowman who serves as the coordinator.

Nearly each week during the Sunday School hour a Women’s Sunday School class is held in Room 118. This class is facilitated by Lorraine Kroesser and has consisted of a wide variety of teachings. This past year the ladies have worked through several DVD series and are currently working through DVD studies which are part of the That the World May Know series which look at two of Paul’s missionary journeys. If you can’t make the class each week, Lorraine also hosts a Monday evening study from 7 to 8 pm utilizing the same material taught on Sunday.

Ladies of Leidy’s also comes under the Women’s Ministry umbrella. They meet the first Tuesday of each month in the Conference Room beginning at 7 pm except in July and August. The meetings often begin with a special program or guest speaker, followed by a business meeting. Their responsibilities include: Rummage Sales, cooking for special events, food for Strawberry Festival, Advent Workshop crafts and food, rosebuds and gifts to celebrate new babies, delivering worship service copies to shut-ins, meal ministry, and ministering to our church family and community through “Golden Deeds”.

In the early planning stages is a Ladies Brunch set for Saturday, February 29th, in the morning. We will be inviting ladies to spend a morning sharing a time of worship, teaching, food, and fellowship and have everyone on their way home in time for lunch with their families. Details will be shared soon, but save the date so you can join us!

Another event being considered for 2020 is a one-day Saturday Conference in the fall. If you are interested in helping with the planning of any of these special events, be sure to speak with Beth Guntz, Lorraine Kroesser, Denise Kulp or Donna Weiss. They would be glad for the help!

Within the Fellowship Our sincere Christian sympathy to Paul Carsley and family at the death of his father. May God be with them at this time. Congratulations to Arthur and Nicole (Tyson) Anton who were united in Christian marriage. May God be with them as they grow together in Him.


Invite a Friend & Let’s Go to the Movies! Do you desire to share the truth about abortion with your acquaintances without sounding

like you’re preaching? The Unplanned movie can help you do just that. Unplanned is based on a

best-selling book that dramatizes the true story of Abby Johnson, the

Planned Parenthood clinic director who became a pro-life advocate in

2009.

The same writers who produced God’s Not Dead have

produced a movie that is rated R for its bloody and disturbing content

– i.e. for showing what happens in a medical abortion, not a surgical

abortion. The real reason for the R-rating is that the movie industry

doesn't want you or your teens to be influenced by the realistic visual depictions of a gruesome

industry. Due to its troubling but thought-provoking content, we recommend the movie only for

viewers in 8th grade through adults.

If you are on the fence about whether your teen should watch Unplanned, we have a

solution for you: two showings. Our first showing will be Friday, November 8, at 7:30 pm and is

intended for adults. Parents are encouraged to view the movie at this showing. The second

showing is Friday, November 15, at 7:30 pm and is intended for our youth and their friends. A

donation of $10 is suggested for adults and $5 for youth.

Why the cost? All donations will go towards the In This Time of Need project that feeds

hungry Venezuelan refugees with food and the Word of God. The movie lasts 2 hours and

includes an intermission where attendees can purchase soda, popcorn, soft pretzels, and candy. We

would like to know how many people will attend so that we can be good stewards of our Luke 21

money in purchasing food, so please RSVP via the inserts in the bulletin by Sunday, November 3.

Feel free to invite friends and coworkers. If you have questions, see Rachel Tyson or call 215-453-

0346. Don’t forget to plan to attend!

Inquirer’s Class to Start A new Inquirer’s Class will begin on Sunday, November 10th. This class will meet in the Conference Room during the Sunday School hour. It takes place for six consecutive Sundays with a different presenter each Sunday. Intended to give folk a broad overview of Leidy’s Church, topics covered will include organizations of Leidy’s Church, some history of the area and of the congregation, our denominational background and where we are with that now, how we are governed, and a session on what we believe and why. Though not a membership class, to become a member one must have taken this course within the last several years. If you or someone you know would like to be part of this class, please contact the church office or speak with Pastor Niederhaus.


Ready, Set, Launch! The engine has been getting primed for weeks. The fuel is in place and ready to ignite. All the personnel are on alert for the launch. Now it is time for iBlast to launch! Launch date is set for Wednesday, November 6th. All students from grade one through grade five are encouraged to climb aboard the iBlast shuttle for the 6pm lift-off. There is a pre-lift-off meal available for kids and their families to which all are invited as well. That meal begins at 5:15 and will help give everyone some ballast for the ride. What will happen on the iBlast rocket ride? Well, there will be crafts explored, some games in which to expend all the youthful energy, as well as a service project or two. The main focus, though, will be learning about and experiencing prayer. Each week during this

fall semester, the aspiring youthful rocket-riders will focus on a specific part of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. Just as the disciples learned to pray from Jesus, so will our youthful iBlast participants. Each evening’s ride ends at 7:30. If you have any young folk in grades one through five, you may register them for iBlast by going online to www.leidyschurch.org/children or calling the church office. If you have any questions, just talk with our resident spaceman: Pastor Michael.

Judgement House Kudos Please stand up and take a bow, all you who were part of the 2019 Judgement House production! Hear what we have to say: Thank You! Well Done! We’re talking about all the actors and actresses. We’re talking about all the set builders. We’re talking about all the set designers. We’re talking about all the registration personnel. We’re talking about all the child-care personnel. We’re talking about all the security personnel. We’re talking about all those overseeing the concession area. We’re talking about all the food handlers. We’re talking about all the publicity personnel. We’re talking about all the ladies in the office. We’re talking about all those who served as guides. We’re talking about all the counseling personnel. And we’re talking about you if your area of service is not listed above. Thank You! Well Done! Let’s continue to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who went through this dramatic production. All was done to proclaim the truth of God’s Word and to show forth His glory. Praise God that we don’t have it all under control, but He does!

november ministries november highlights leidy's church ...usher captains: peter martindell, ken...

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